Love a Good Old Scare? Here Are The Best Australian Horror Films To Check Out Tonight

 

Australia is renowned for being the kind of place where everything is out to kill you. And, with these awesomely terrifying Australian horror films, we’re not just talking snakes, spiders, crocs, and sharks.

Whether you prefer hiding behind the doona from monsters, murderers, supernatural forces, or just some good old suspense and jump-scares… grab some popcorn, lock all the doors, and get ready to work your way through our best Australian horror films.

Run Rabbit Run

Run Rabbit Run is a psychological horror starring Sarah Snook, who shot to international fame as Shiv Roy in Succession. It follows a fertility doctor named Sarah, whose daughter Mia starts exhibiting strange behaviour and appears to be the reincarnation of Sarah’s sister, Alice. With running themes around motherhood, trauma, and identity, it’s definitely on the psychological thriller side of the horror genre, but critics also praised the film for its atmospheric tension and compared it to The Babadook (which also made this list). 

You can stream Run Rabbit Run now on Netflix.

Road Games

We’ve gone deep into the vault on this one and dug out a 1981 classic set on the barren outback of rural Australia. It follows an American truck driver who discovers a series of mysterious murders of female hitchhikers along his driving route. As the murders pile up, he becomes embroiled in a cat-and-mouse game with a killer whom he may or may not have picked up in his truck. Blending suspense with dark humour and slasher horror elements, it’s giving strong Hitchcock meets Wolf Creek vibes. 

You can stream Road Games now on SBS On Demand, Brollie, ABCiView, AMC+, or Shudder.  You can also rent or buy it on Prime Video Store, Apple TV Store, or YouTube.

The Moogai

Centred around a young Aboriginal mother who is convinced that a malevolent spirit is trying to take her baby, The Moogai is a powerful Australian film that explores the horror of real-life tragedies and intergenerational traumas endured by Indigenous Australians. With strong themes around the Stolen Generations, it’s no wonder that this movie resonated with Australian viewers to the point where it won the Audience Award for Best Australian Feature at the 2024 Sydney Film Festival. 

You can stream The Moogai now on Netflix or rent or buy it on Prime Video Store, Apple TV Store, or YouTube.

Carnifex

Just when you thought the Australian outback was scary enough with all the super deadly creatures we already know about… along comes a mutated apex predator, presumed extinct yet inexplicably reborn from the destruction of devastating bushfires. If you want all blood and gore, this is not for you. But if you like your Australian horror films with monsters and a healthy dollop of suspense, give this 2022 Aussie-made horror flick a go. 

You can rent or buy Carnifex now on Prime Video Store, Apple TV Store, or YouTube.

Godless: The Eastfield Exorcism

Can’t resist a horror film based on true events? Neither can we! The story follows a woman struggling with mental illness. When her husband forces her to seek treatment with a merciless exorcist, she boards a horrific rollercoaster of brutal rituals, psychological abuse, and more. If you’re a fan of psychological thrillers that hold a horrific mirror up to some real-world social issues, buckle up and enjoy.

You can stream Godless: The Eastfield Exorcism now on Prime Video, AMC+, or Shudder.  You can also rent or buy it on Prime Video Store, Apple TV Store, or YouTube.

Bring Her Back 

From the makers of Talk to Me, Bring Her Back follows two orphaned step-siblings who get dragged into an occult ritual by their new foster mother, who is desperately trying to reconnect with her dead daughter. This psychological thriller is as creepy, scary, intense, sinister and unsettling as you would expect, with a healthy dose of emotion and grief in the mix too.  

You can rent or buy Bring Her Back now on Prime Video Store, Apple TV Store, or YouTube.

Dangerous Animals

Set on the coast of Queensland, this Aussie thriller is about a serial killer who uses sharks as his murder weapon (yes, you read that right). And, when a young woman is kidnapped by said serial killer, she has to fight and outwit both man and beast to survive. If you like monster movies and slasher violence, you’ll probably enjoy this one.

You can rent or buy Dangerous Animals on Prime Video Store or Apple TV Store.

Sissy

Critics have called this one sassy, derranged, and impressively unpredictable. Following a social media influencer who reunites with her childhood best friend at a hen's weekend, Sissy is a mix of dark comedy and brutal horror. The joy of this is that it’s full of surprising twists and turns, so we’ll just tell you that as the past comes back to haunt them…. things quickly spiral into a crazy, violent mess. Enjoy. 

You can rent or buy Sissy now on Prime Video Store, Apple TV Store, or YouTube.

Hounds of Love

This one’s for the true crime fans out there. Based on a real-life serial killer case, Hounds of Love follows a teenage girl who is abducted by a sinister and sadistic couple. As her captors torment her with psychological and physical abuse, her only hope of survival is to exploit the couple’s fractured relationship. Blending true crime with a psychological thriller, it’s emotional, intense, and worth a watch.

You can stream Hounds of Love on Foxtel, Brollie, or Beamafilm, or rent or buy is on Apple TV Store or YouTube.

The Loved Ones

This teen horror is a wild ride from start to finish. It follows teenager Lola Stone who invites Brent to the school formal, who declines. What follows is an absolutely bonkers and creepy tale of revenge. If you have a weak stomach, maybe give this one a miss. But if you’re a lover of gore and keen on seeing a fresh take on dark teen horror, add this to your list. 

You can stream The Loved Ones on Apple TV, rent or buy it on Prime Video Store, Apple TV Store, or YouTube

Wolf Creek

No list of ‘best Australian horror movies’ is complete without Wolf Creek. Drawing inspiration from serial killer Ivan Milat, the plot follows three backpackers who are hiking in isolated bushland when they run into trouble, and also a seemingly friendly local. While I found this movie terrifying, the fact that this is based on Ivan Milat’s real-life murders is particularly haunting. Maybe watch this one with the lights on…

You can stream Wolf Creek on Stan and rent or buy it on Prime Video Store, Apple TV Store, or YouTube

Snowtown

Snowtown is another creepy watch that is based on real-life events. Troubled youth Jamie develops a close bond with his mother’s new boyfriend John, who takes him under his wing. But then, things start getting complicated and people start disappearing. This movie is tragic and dark in so many ways, and it really consumes you as it plays out. Trust me that this is a horror story that will stick with you. 

You can watch Snowtown on Apple TV or rent or buy it on Apple TV Store, or YouTube

Relic

This psychological horror is a real slow-burn, but if you’re a fan of creepy, well-paced horrors, then this is for you. Relic follows Sam and her mother Kay after Kay’s mother goes missing. When they head to her home to find her, they discover signs she might have dementia, and when she returns she is erratic and very volatile. But is it her, or is it something in the house? If you liked The Haunting Of Hill House and Paranormal, this is right up your alley.

You can stream Relic on Stan.

The Babadook

The premise of this movie is simple, but the execution is just terrifying: a young boy is afraid that the monster from his book is real. The film boasts a 98% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, and for good reason, with something about this simple idea tapping into a very real fear and anxiety in a lot of us. The movie itself is also horror done best, with realistic, thoughtful characters, well-built tension and genuine scares.
 

You can watch The Babadook on Prime, ABC iView and SBS On Demand, Foxtel, Brollie, AMC+, Shudder, and You can also rent or buy it on Prime Video Store, Apple TV Store, YouTube, or ACMI Cinema 3

You might also like:

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Picnic At Hanging Rock

This classic 1975 film is an Australian horror-mystery based on the 1967 novel of the same name. The story follows the disappearance of several schoolgirls and their teacher following a picnic at Hanging Rock in the year 1900, and the fallout. It’s a slow, haunting film that is really beautifully shot. The movie is also strangely mesmerising and also tragic, but it’s a win with audiences, scoring 92% on Rotten Tomatoes. If you’re looking for a slow-burn, nostalgic horror, this one’s for you.

You can watch Picnic At Hanging Rock on Apple TV.

Wake In Fright

This 1971 horror film is like the outback trip from your worst nightmare. Schoolteacher John Grant is trying to get to Sydney to visit his girlfriend but on the way there finds himself stuck in a mining town called Bundanyabba (or ‘The Yabba’). The residents are rough and John falls in with them and their horrifying ways. This classic, with a 96% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, is definitely worth adding to your watch list.

You can watch it on ABC iView, Foxtel, Brollie and “or rent or buy it on Prime Video Store, Apple TV Store, or YouTube

Talk To Me

Teens in a spooky scenario? Check. Evil spirits? Check. An embalmed, severed hand? Check. This 2022 Aussie horror really does have it all. Premiering at the Adelaide Film Festival, Talk To Me sees a group of teens using an embalmed hand to contact spirits. What can go wrong? While the premise is simple, the execution is gripping and you will be holding your (hopefully) non-severed hands tight onto the edge of your seat until it’s over.

You can watch Talk To Me online on Stan or Netflix, or rent or buy it on Prime Video Store, Apple TV Store, or YouTube

Cargo

Finally, a zombie movie set in the Aussie outback. This post-apocalyptic movie sees Andy, his wife Kay and their baby Rosie flee into the outback to escape a virus that turns people into rabid zombies within 48 hours. The movie isn’t your standard zombie flick, with a nice character-driven approach that keeps things very dramatic. Plus, the harsh realities of the outback are present throughout. 

You can watch Cargo on Netflix, or rent or buy it on YouTube.

Main image credit: Amazon Prime